Chapter 469
Chapter 469
3rd Person’s POV
“Here is the witch p>
The accusation cut through the silence of the forest.
Confusion tightened Lylah’s face as she faced the villagers emerging from the shadows.
They stared at her as though she were a monster.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said carefully.
A middle-aged woman stepped forward. “But we do.” Her voice trembled with conviction. “You came to our village claiming to be a healer. You offered healing and cures, and we were foolish enough to trust you p>
Several others murmured in agreement.
“Think about it,” another villager said. “Among all the volunteers, why were your treatments the only ones that worked? Why did Old Abba start feeling better after speaking with you, even before receiving any treatment p>
The realization struck Lylah almost immediately.
Someone had been poisoning their minds.
“Then, someone finally told us the truth,” the woman continued. “Your words are magic. Witchcraft p>
Lylah stared at them in disbelief.
It seems the article had reached them.
Not only that, but whoever spread it had twisted the story even further.
“You already have a mate,” a younger one spat. “Yet you enticed another male in the heart of our sacred valley. By your actions, you have desecrated this land and called calamity upon our people p>
The accusation was so absurd that for a moment Lylah found herself speechless.
“Who told you these things?” She asked quietly.
“It doesn’t matter.” The answer came instantly.
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The villagers began moving toward her.
Like hunters closing in on wounded prey.
“We’re going to kill you,” one of them said.
A chill raced down Lylah’s spine.
Before she could react, several villagers shifted.
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15:57 Sat, Jun 13 M
Chapter 469
Bones cracked.
Limbs lengthened.
Fur erupted beneath silver moonlight. Within moments, wolves stood where they had been, their eyes glowing with unnatural hostility.
Selestine slammed against the barrier separating them.
Let me out.
The demand echoed through Lylah’s mind.
But the oath every volunteer had sworn remained fresh in her memory. They had come to Lunera to help, not harm. No matter how frightened she felt, she could not bring herself to attack the very people she had promised to heal.
So she ran.
The forest blurred around her.
Branches tore at her clothes. Sharp stones sliced the soles of her feet. Twigs scratched her skin as she pushed deeper into the darkness.
Behind her came the thunder of pursuit.
The wolves were fast.
Their snarls echoed through the trees, growing closer with every passing second.
Lylah leapt over a fallen log, only for her foot to catch against an exposed root.
Pain shot through her ankle and the ground vanished beneath her.
She hit the forest floor hard.
Then everything changed.
A massive shadow burst from the darkness. The attacker was thrown aside before it could reach her.
Another wolf charged.
The newcomer intercepted it effortlessly.
The sheer force of the collision shook the ground.
Lylah’s breath caught.
An enormous black wolf stood between her and the villagers. Its fur seemed to absorb the moonlight itself. Silvery eyes blazed with Alpha authority so overwhelming that the air felt heavier around it. The pursuing wolves faltered immediately.
The black wolf drove them back with terrifying efficiency. Yet despite his obvious power, he never delivered
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Chapter 469
a killing blow.
He-subdued.
Controlled.
Protected.
More wolves emerged from the forest mötnents later, moving with disciplined precision as they restrained the frenzied villagers.
Only then did the black wolf turn toward her.
Lylah’s heart stopped.
The wolf’s form shimmered beneath the moonlight before shifting.
“Ezra…” The name escaped her as little more than a breath.
Relief hit so hard it nearly brought her to her knees.
Before she realized what she was doing, she had already crossed the distance separating them.
His arms wrapped around her instantly as Lylah buried her face against his chest.
He was here p>
Actually here.
Not a memory.
Not a wish.
Real.
“How?” she whispered. “W-when did you arrive p>
Ezra didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his hands moved over her shoulders, her arms, her face, searching for injuries with barely concealed urgency.
“Are you hurt p>
“No.” The answer left her lips automatically.
Then warmth spread across her fingertips.
Her eyes dropped.
Angry scratches raked across his chest and shoulders, fresh blood glistening in the dim light.
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The Betrayed Princess Rising